NIGHT OF THE DEMONS (2009)

Night of the Demons (2009)
Directed by: Adam Gierasch
Written by: Adam Gierasch, Jace Anderson, Joe Augustyn
Starring: Edward Furlong, Michael Arata, Shannon Elizabeth, Tatyana Kanavka

Reviewed by Ross Hughes

“This is probably the best re-make of an horror since Dawn Of The Dead”…….


The original was pure 80’s fun, with effects before CGI, and despite its awfulness at times, was a blast of energetic horror….

The remake IS pure 80’s fun, with effects that forgets about CGI, and despite its awfulness at times, is a blast of energetic horror…….

In other words, a remake that does not exactly suck!!

Night Of The Demons does what most remakes fail to do, and that is DO NOT ignore the original.  There is no back-story, no added plot, no insult to the fans that cherish the original, it just takes what was so good originally and just redoes it.  I know fans may ask what is the point, but in an age of gore porn and torture scenes, Night Of The Demons 2010 serves has a perfect reminder of when horror was fun.  It may seem out of place in today’s market, but for this old man, it was an enjoyable trip to days long gone,

Like the original, the film centres all around a house with a history of terror and long time abandoned, a perfect destination for this generations school kids who decide to host a Halloween party.  Girls act like tarts, men act like horny dicks, there is plenty of flesh showing and a stunning rock soundtrack, the opening half plays more like a grunge American Pie, that is until the police arrive and tells everyone to leave.  Somehow, a few get left behind, the party organiser Angela (Shannon Elizabeth), who is left to tidy the mess, and another five turn up looking for their drunken friend, among them Colin played by John Conner himself, Edward Furlong!

Everything is fine until Colin, looking for his stash of drugs he hid when the police arrived, stumbles across a locked room which inside has the skeleton bones of six people.  One of the deceased still has a gold tooth lodged in their gums and Angela stupidly tries to remove it, only to get bitten, and while the others laugh it off, she stumbles upstairs feeling unwell.  While she is beginning to turn ill for the worst,  the rest try to leave but find the gates locked and with no way out until the morning, realise they have to spend the night in the old rundown house. Unknown to them all though is that Angela has turned into a freaky demon whose mission is to turn the rest of the gang into what she has become.  Its all battles on, as the night of planned drunk and sex, becomes a fight for survival and only the strongest will survive.

I loved this film!

Seriously, the campiness shines through in all of its revisited 80’s glory.  A pure nostalgic flick for all those fans sick of CGI effects ruining most horrors. I was also shocked for realising that this is probably the best re-make of an horror since Dawn Of The Dead, even having original star Linnena Quigley in a cool cameo in which for fans of the original will relish, and at the same time shows the respect the makers put into this film.

Furlong who I thought I would never forgive and watch again after the ghastly Crow IV, somehow redeems himself here even though it was probably not hard for him to play a druggie, but each casting plays to the strength of the characters, look at Elizabeth playing  a slutty demon, its a perfect role for her, and she actually makes the performance memorable.

Also fans do not panic.  The scenes that stood out in the original are retained but also with added new elements that with thrill you.  The sick “hide the lipstick”  moment is back, but this time it will leave you gagging but laughing by the brutal imagination.

Night Of The Demons at times can be vicious as well, yes its camp at times, but the gore does come in full swing as the survivors battle to wait for sunrise, and there are characters here who you would not expect to die, adding a refreshing surprise element to the whole movie.  Yes this will be not for everyone, the modern fans probably more concerened at watching the next Saw film, but for a Halloween themed horror, this is a total blast and the rock soundtrack totally rocks from begining to end…..

OVERALL: The perfect Halloween night horror.  This remake of a much cherished original does everything right and its yet another straight to DVD that was sadly missed at the box office……

Rating:

[pt-filmtitle]Night of the Demons[/pt-filmtitle]